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I was Twittering, Facebook-ing, and hanging out in "The Arena" on Politico.com during President Obama's State of the Union address tonight. And I was having a great time.

I am a political nerd, so I have not missed a State of the Union address in at least 15 years. Yes, I sat through those marathon lectures of Bill Clinton. Yes, I sat through those painful distortions of reality under George W. Bush. And tonight I was completely riveted to Barack Obama's first address to the Congress and the American people. Here are a few of my reactions to the events of the night.

1. Michelle Obama is a diva, queen, first lady whom I openly and shamelessly worship. That sister is in her forties and can go boldly sleeveless in the middle of winter. Holla! Seriously, did you see that deep purple dress? It made a political statement of bi-partisanship (blue and red make purple) and reminded all of us that brilliance and beauty are a breathtaking combination.

2. Justice Ruth Ginsburg is a serious woman herself. Despite her illness, this stalwart of the liberal wing of the Supreme Court looked vibrant and self-possessed tonight. She refused to miss this moment in history. I was thrilled to see her. Though I want Sister Ruth safely in her seat for a decade, I hope that Obama gets to make some appointments to the Court during his tenure. By the way, my first pick for the Court: Kimberle Crenshaw.

3. President Obama's irritates me when he touts responsibility discourse. There were several moments in tonight's speech that really got on my nerves and they each happened when President Obama would lapse into the rhetoric of individual responsibility. He boldly stated that his housing plan will not help the guy down the street who bought a house he could not afford. That strikes me as terribly short sighted. Given that we have destroyed the public housing stock in this country, decreased the availability of affordable housing, and supported predatory lenders who put people in homes they could not afford, I really think we should help the guy down the street. What is the option? To allow him to be homeless?

I also really hated the idea that high school drop outs are failing their country. I have seen many of these urban schools with high drop out rates and I assure you it is the schools failing the kids, not the other way around.

And I had to grit my teeth through the idea that "nothing can replace a parent." Barack Obama's personal biography gives lie to this statement. Intergenerational households where grandparents are available can replace absent parents. Good schools and loving communities can fill in gaps when parents are absent. Barack Obama did not have a loving, present, accountable dad, and he is President of the United States. We have to think more creatively on this issue of families.

4. President Obama thrills me when he talks about our long term national vision. It was beyond wonderful to hear my President say that even in a time of crisis we must focus our efforts on new, sustainable, green sources of energy; that we must commit to reforming health care immediately; and that we must ensure comprehensive and competitive educational opportunities for all children. I believe that Barack Obama has the potential to be a great president and that his opportunity for greatness lies in his ability to realize the vision he crafted tonight. If he can renegotiate the social contract between American citizens and their government he will have taken America through her darkest hour and into her greatest moment.

And girlfriend did you hear him say he wants everyone to go to college? Looks like our jobs are secure! Yipppeee.

5. I am happy when Obama takes the automakers to task but worried that he wants us to all buy cars. I have said it here at TKT before: I really despise American made vehicles. I like American autoworkers. They are good people. But the people designing this garbage don't deserve jobs. Why can't American cars have a decent turn radius, a lasting transmission, or functional brakes? If capitalism is going to have any meaning, it must be that people who make a terrible product will go out of business not be propped up by tax payer investments. I think I heard Obama say the same thing in his speech tonight.

But, I am worried that he also spoke of Americans buying cars at least 5 times as a solution to our current economic crisis. His economic stimulus plan is rooted in the idea of "getting credit flowing," and making sure that we can "buy that house or buy that car" but house and car buying was at the root of our crisis in the first place. This part of his speech was uncomfortably familiar to W. telling us all to shop our way out of the post 9-11 downturn. Americans cannot spend our way out of economic crisis one bad GM car at a time.

6. I love that Barack was clear about who made this mess: The Republicans! He got all up in the GOP when he explained that this was an inherited mess handed down from the last resident of the White House and the previously Republican dominated Congress. Obama showed an uncanny ability to sound bi-partisan while punching the Republicans in the neck.

7. I think it is great that he gave Joe Biden a job. It has hard to be VP. You either do nothing but sit next to the Speaker of the House during speeches (Al Gore) or you craft a diabolical plan for world domination that you have to oversee from a secret location in an underground bunker (Dick Cheney.) Obama gave 'ol Joe a real job that he can do in the full light of day. That was gracious of him!

8. It made me happy to see New Jersey sister Lisa Jackson, the head of the EPA smiling at her President as he announced green energy initiatives.

9. I am proud to live in a country that has unequivocally denounced torture, but I am disturbed to realize that I have been living in a country that apparently did torture our enemies. I really want to see Attorney General Eric Holder take the cowards of this nation who abridged basic human rights to court.

10. I cant stop laughing about Louisiana Bobby Jindal. Today is Mardi Gras so I assume that Bobby thinks none of his constituents are watching. But seriously, the GOP should be ashamed of themselves. This guy is the greatest gift to Saturday Night Live since Sarah Palin. They won't even have to write a script. They can just repeat what he said. This man actually invoked Hurricane Katrina as a GOP rebuttal to the Democrats. KATRINA! I'm sorry but is he out of his mind? If you want people to like the Republicans, then never, ever, ever, mention Hurricane Katrina. That was the internationally television destruction of a great American city and the beginning of the end of Republican domination of the Congress and Presidency.

The restoration and recovery of New Orleans is the most important issue of social justice facing our country today and this man seriously invoked Katrina to give the Republicans an edge? I can't stand it. I fell off my chair. I was sick with laughter at his stiffness, insincerity, and utterly ridiculous argument. Thank goodness the city of New Orleans has a real advocate in my friend and mayoral candidate James Perry. (http://jamesperry2010.com)

What a night!

Oh yes, and thank goodness for Representative James Clyburn of South Carolina. He is the Congressional Representative who had the foresight and vision to include a provision in the stimulus package that allows state legislatures to overturn the decision of any governor who refuses to accept the federal aid of the stimulus package. Because of him the people of Louisiana might actually get their fair share. He is the Congressman to whom that serious little sister wrote her letter demanding better schools and reminding the nation that the black children of our country are not quitters, not criminals, and not garbage. They are citizens worthy of our nation's investment.

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About the Arena

The Arena is a cross-party, cross-discipline forum for intelligent and lively conversation about political and policy issues. Contributors have been selected by POLITICO staff and editors. David Mark, Arena's moderator, is a Senior Editor at POLITICO. Each morning, POLITICO sends a question based on that day's news to all contributors.